A new spectacular evening away for Estra Pistoia gives the red and whites, with 40 minutes before the end of the regular season, the amazing qualification for the playoffs. In Trento, Della Rosa and his teammates only chase in the first few minutes, then they always keep the ball in their hands with excellent shooting percentages from outside and, when Dolomiti Energia Trentino tries to get closer, it is the Italians of Estra who send the players back the hosts who, in the last 5 minutes, stop playing, widening the gap to 80-105, useful for also overturning the difference in goals after the -5 suffered in the first leg. It is the second victory in the history of Pistoia in Trento but, above all, it is the 100th success of the red and whites in Serie A. A truly historic evening, to be celebrated in the best possible way next Sunday for the end-of-season party against Varese: up for grabs, however , there will be two decisive points to establish the final position in the standings.
FIRST HALF Coach Brienza shuffles the cards in the starting lineup by bringing in Wheatle and Hawkins in place of Saccaggi and Varnado. In the first few minutes Dolomiti Energia makes itself felt in the paint with Biligha and Baldwin’s raids (11-5) but Estra’s first important break reverses the inertia: in 3′ it is 0-12 passing to 11-17 with Moore and Ogbeide on the shields. Trento is not there, gets back in the wake and overtakes (20-19 with Hubb) but Varnado closes the first quarter for 20-24.
In the second period the aim in the 3-point shot is that of the best evenings: Varnado for 23-29 and two bombs for captain Della Rosa for the maximum advantage of 31-40 in the 15th minute which sends a good signal to the opponents. Estra pulled up to 37-50 scored by Ogbeide and from there held a good margin reaching 42-55 at half time with the support of a good Hawkins at the siren.
SECOND HALF The second half opens with Ogbeide’s dominance in the paint (44-59) while Payton Willis shoots three-pointers and Estra is ready to extend the lead again to 49-64 in the 24th minute. Despite the gap, the red and whites keep the ball in their hands but, slowly, Trento comes back in the wake with an unleashed Paul Biligha and Hubb: the former Milan player scores the triple to make it 63-71 in the 27th minute, Varnado returns to hammer from outside and the last basket of the quarter is by Del Chiaro for 68-76.
In the last quarter Trento immediately tries to get closer with Cooke (70-76) but the Italians from Pistoia find the baskets that keep an important margin: Della Rosa from 3, Saccaggi ditto and five points from Del Chiaro open the final super break when Trento shuts down the light. And so from Mooney’s 78-84, Estra goes on to triumph until Tormi Metsla’s final basket for 80-105 which gives the joy of the playoffs to Pistoia with 40′ before the end of the regular season.
THE DOLOMITI EN SCORESHEET. TN – ESTRA PT 80-105
PARTIALS (20-24, 42-55, 68-76)
DOLOMITES EN. TN: Ellis 5, Hubb 14, Alviti 14, Conti, Forray 5, Cooke 3, Diarra ne, Biligha 19, Mooney 10, Baldwin 10. All.: Galbiati
EXTRA PT: Willis 19, Della Rosa 9, Moore 21, Metsla 2, Saccaggi 3, Del Chiaro 9, Varnado 15, Wheatle 6, Hawkins 7, Ogbeide 14. Coaches: Brienza
REFEREES: Sahin, Galasso, Marziali
NOTE: Spectators: approximately 4,000. Out for five fouls: none.
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